Effects of Unilateral Hearing Loss Upon Educational Achievement

Abstract

Recent evidence suggests that children with relatively minor hearing impairments may be at a developmental disadvantage. A survey of over 42,000 students was conducted and children with unilateral hearing losses were identified on the basis of audiometric testing. A comparison of the standardized achievement test scores obtained by the unilateral hearers, using class and national norms with a sibling control group, yielded no significant differences although the hearing-impaired group scored lower on all subscales. There were sex differences observed, however, with male unilateral hearers performing significantly better than females on several subscales. Although the results indicate little educational disadvantage accompanying unilateral losses in this sample of children, in the absence of more definitive evidence, it would be prudent to consider a unilateral loss as a 'risk factor' for the production of developmental problems.

The effect of mild hearing loss on academic performance in primary school children

“…However, there were studies that against it [19,20]. The prevalence of unilateral hearing loss in our study was 9.4%.…”

Early hearing detection and intervention programs: Opportunities for genetic services

“…Many are surprised to learn, however, that there are serious negative effects associated with much milder forms of hearing loss. Figure 4 summarizes the results of five independently-conducted studies [Keller and Bundy, 1980;Peterson, 1981;Bess and Thorpe, 1984;Blair et al, 1985;Culbertson and Gilbert, 1986] in which children with unilateral loss were matched with hearing peers on various socio-economic and demographic variables (e.g., age, presence of other disabilities, and socio-economic status of the family).…”

Minimal Hearing Loss: From a Failure-Based Approach to Evidence-Based Practice

“…In some cases, children had slightly poorer scores than their peers with NH, but overall group means did not reach significance levels (Gilbertson & Kamhi, 1995;Keller & Bundy, 1980;Klee & Davis-Dansky, 1986). In other studies, children with MBHL achieved standardized test scores that fell within normal ranges, although at times their scores were at the lower end of the normal range (Blair et al, 1985;Davis et al, 1986;Halliday & Bishop, 2005;Niedzielski, Humeniuk, Blaziak, & Gwizda, 2006).…”